The 7,900-bed dorm, called ASPRI-Westlite Dormitory – Papan, is the first of its kind in Singapore with an attached training centre.

It also has recreational facilities and amenities such as cricket training pitches, an indoor gym, a dental and medical clinic, and a barber shop. Eight workers share a large room, in two-bedroom units with en suite bathrooms and kitchens.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was the guest of honour at the official opening of the dorm last night, praised the integrated model.

ASPRI president Charles Quek said the association has raised the number of training hours it delivers to 125,000 a year at the integrated training centre, up from 30,000 a year ago at its old facility. It hopes to ramp that up to 400,000 hours over the next three years.

The Trade Association (TA) Hub to be sited at Jurong Town Hall has already signed up 18 trade associations, including the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI), the Landscape Industry Association and the Association of Process Industry.

Mr Charles Quek, president of the Association of Process Industry, told a panel discussion at the Trade Association Congress here yesterday that he hopes the hub will facilitate greater collaboration.

“For associations, there’s a lot we can share and learn from each other. You cannot look at your industry alone,” he said, emphasising that there could be more cross-industry collaborations.

Six trade associations and chambers (TACs) were awarded further funding totalling about $7 million for their Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programmes at the LEAD 10th anniversary dinner on Tuesday.

Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, addressing the 300 guests from the TACs across various sectors at the event, said: ” TACs are key partners for the government in reaching out to the business community and driving change within industries.

Aspri president Charles Quek said the new, larger space and increased convenience will provide 48 annual training hours per worker for the 7,900 that will be housed in the dormitory, as opposed to the 16 hours for the 4,000 workers now getting training at the existing IPI facility.

Aspri vice-president Francis Tay said that while priority for training sessions will be given to workers living in the dormitory, opportunities might also be given to other foreign workers if there is spare capacity.

The training sessions will include English lessons as well as industry-specific courses that will be organised in collaboration with the Process Construction and Maintenance Management Committee. //Extracts from The Straits Times

Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of ASPRI-Westlite Dormitory Papan, Singapore’s first dormitory with an integrated training facility for workers in the Process industry.//Extracts from Channel NewsAsia

The Process, Construction and Maintenance (PCM) sector with the productivity council set up, will look to improve management practices and put in place certification systems to encourage companies to adopt productivity and safety measures. The productivity council will have 3 working groups; one will support a three-year benchmarking programme which will demonstrate the benefits of productivity improvement led by ExxonMobil, second will be responsible for certification led by Shell, and the third will look at mechanisation initiatives led by Singapore Refining Company (SRC). //Extracts from Business Times

The Productivity Council will drives the adoption of global best practices in Process, Construction and Maintenance (PCM) firms. Though the adoption of these practices, firms will be able to cut down their labour costs for about 20% to 30% on the long-term basis.

Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development, Mr. Lee Yi Shyan, announced the establishment of the Productivity Council during a visit to the Singapore Refining Company’s (SRC) oil refinery on Jurong Island. The Council which comprises of ASPRI, plant owners and contractors, will set up a centre of excellence to provide training and consultation for Process, Construction and Maintenance (PCM) contractors to upgrade their processes. //Extracts from The Straits Times

Senior Minister of State Lee Yi Shyan (above) said the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was timely, given Singapore’s productivity push and the emphasis on local firms to reduce their reliance on foreign workers. ASPRI’s President, Charles Quek hopes the programme will ensure a consistent pool of skilled local manpower. “By taking part in Development and Apprenticeship Programme for the Process-Engineering Services Industry (DNA-PRO), the companies will have greater incentive to recruit Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents who are new entrants to the industry, and provide them with structured training and suitable career paths,” added Mr Charles Quek //Extracts from The Straits Times